Stand by for a fantastic day of judo action as the Glasgow European Open returns to the Emirates Arena with over 240 judoka from 30 countries ready to take to the floor at the Emirates Arena.
It’s the fourth consecutive year the Glasgow European Open has been hosted at the Emirates but the first time male and female are competing on the same day. The first world-ranking event on British soil after the 2016 Rio Olympic Games it gives fans the opportunity to see some of the rising stars of British Judo as they take their first steps on the road to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Tickets are available online: read on for a full preview including our ‘ones to watch’.
A 43-strong British team, the majority aged 23 years and under, has been entered with similarly large squads coming from France and Brazil with 34 and 30 judoka respectively. The Brazilian team has been selected as part of their ‘Ohayo Project’ which aims to develop their younger athletes who have the potential to compete at the Tokyo Olympics.
The British contingent will not lack for inspiration with the memory of Sally Conway’s medal in Rio still fresh in the memory. It was a brilliant performance from Edinburgh’s Conway who defeated the world champion, Gévrise Émane of France, en route to her bronze medal in the women’s -70kg class, Scotland’s first ever Olympic medal in Judo. Conway won gold in the Glasgow European Open in 2014 highlighting how today’s players can use today’s tournament as a starting point on the road to 2020 Olympics Games.
This is the British team in full that features top young female judoka such as 2014 junior world medallists Ebony Drysdale-Daley from Birmingham and Jemima Yeats-Brown (who both compete in the same -70kg as the aforementioned Sally Conway) and 2015 Junior European Champion Lucy Renshall (-63kg). And from the Borders Abbi Blackie (-52kg) is a previous Scottish Open Championships bronze and gold medallist who also competed in the 2013 European Youth Olympic Festival in Utrecht, Netherlands where she finished seventh.
Photo: Mike Varey
Other ones to watch include a hat-trick of Scottish judoka in the men’s competition. Edinburgh’s Valentino Volante (pictured) competes in the the heavyweight +100kg division and is one of Scotland’s brightest judo prospects. He won a gold medal in the 2015 Junior British Championships and a bronze in the senior tournament. Also in action are Neil MacDonald and David Ferguson, who won silver at the Junior European Championships and bronze at the recent Asian Open in Taipei respectively. Both compete in the -60kg class and being Glasgow boys they can expect some vociferous as they go up against international opposition.
A one day event, doors open for the morning session at 9am with the afternoon session from 1pm. Tickets purchased are valid for both sessions.
Tickets in advance for the Glasgow European Open are available via the ‘Get Tickets’ link.
Tickets on the day are available at the Emirates Arena Box Office: Adults £5 ~ Concessions (Under 16s, Over 60s and Students) £2.50.